1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to portable containers and particularly those used for housing food and beverages and/or fishing tackle.
2. Description of the Prior Art
To enhance the enjoyment of one""s leisure time, it is often important that various equipment and things be easily toted by an individual on an outing such as a picnic or fishing expedition.
To this end, various different styles of portable bait containers and tackle box have been proposed. Also, numerous different styles of coolers, beverage containers and food sacks have been devised.
As an example, it has long been the practice of sportsmen or sportswomen on an outing to carry a fishing tackle box which might have numerous different storage compartments in drawers and trays to organize various lures, sinkers, fishing hooks and baits for ready access at the moment when various fishing conditions and challenges are encountered. It has also been common practice to tote along a rigid walled, thermally insulated cooler for carrying ones food stuff and beverages. Along with this paraphernalia, the fisherman must also carry one or more fishing rods, fishing nets and sometimes extra jackets, clothing or rain wear in the event inclement weather is encountered. This then serves to occupy the fisherman""s hands and prevents ready access to the fishing rods and tackle which enhances the excitement and entertainment afforded by the leisure time outing.
In recognition of the need for convenient portable tackle boxes, various different devices have been proposed for suspension from a fisherman""s shoulder, neck, back or the like. Examples of tackle boxes to be supported from one shoulder or the other of the fisherman includes a fishing tackle box to be suspended from one shoulder to reside at the hip. A device of this type is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,062,421 to Fleming. Such tackle boxes suffer the shortcoming that the storage space therein is quite limited. The stuff stored therein is not arranged for ready access when such box is opened.
Other tackle boxes have been proposed to be suspended from one""s neck, positioned forward of the abdomen and readily accessible from the top. A device of this type is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,208,826 to Lindaman. Such tackle boxes suffer the shortcoming that disposition in the front of the fisherman""s abdomen creates a hindrance to convenient movement and makes walking and maneuvering about somewhat of a challenge.
It has also been proposed to provide a tackle box suspended on edge and having a tray with multiple compartments opened to the side and covered by a lid and which may be positioned in a horizontal position to pivotably open such lid. A device of this type is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,151,790 to Mavrakis. Such tackle boxes, again, have restricted utility since, when upright on its edge, the stored paraphernalia will be shifted to one side and, when such box is reoriented to its horizontal position, such paraphernalia will be re-shifted in the compartments and intermixed.
Efforts have been made to solve the difficulties encountered in devising a tackle box arrangement to be carried conveniently and comfortably from the fisherman""s person while moving about on, for instance, a boat deck or other public area to reach a favorite fishing location, such as along the rail of a recreational fishing boat. It has been proposed to configure a fishing tackle box in the form of a box shaped structure having an open main compartment covered by a top lid that is openable. Devices of this type are shown in U.S. Pat. No. Des. 396,745 to Peterson, Des. 423,779 to Goatcher and U.S. Pat. No. 6,052,939 to McClain et al. Such devices, while satisfactory for their intended purposes, have not gained any degree of commercial success due, in great part, to the impractical configuration which affords only limited segregated storage compartments and would result in intermixing of the fishing paraphernalia thus often resulting in a relatively disorganized intermixing thereof so that ready access cannot typically be had to the paraphernalia of choice at the time the fisherman desires to gain access thereto. The situation is often exacerbated by the fact that fisherman perceive it important to have access to quick change of bait, lures and augmenting gear so that highly promising fishing opportunities are not missed. This situation can arise when a school of fish is encountered or when it is determined that it is desirable to quickly change bait, weights, depth or augmenting paraphernalia. In the excitement, the fisherman will want quick access to paraphernalia stored in an organized manner.
In effort to facilitate organization of the fishing lures and the like, a fishing tackle box in the form of a knapsack has been proposed having a relatively large number of disassembleable modular components. Such a device has been proposed with columns of spaces defined by modular walls having horizontal rails for receipt of multiple individual containers which may be themselves removed and access had thereto for removal of items stored therein. A pair of shoulder straps are provided for mounting to the fisherman""s back. A device of this type is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,630,537 to Sciacca. While serving to provide a rack to organize individual containers, such a device has not received great acceptance in the marketplace. Access to the individual containers is quite restricted and ready access cannot be had from the top side of the stored paraphernalia.
Thus, there exists a need for a readily and conveniently portable container which may be easily toted from the back of a user and which incorporates readily accessible individual drawers and at least one tray readily accessible from the top.
The present invention is characterized by a box having a plurality of rearwardly slidable drawers, a top tray covered by a hinged lid and a canopy surmounted on such lid forming a compartment for receipt and storage of food stuffs and the like to be enjoyed by the fisherman during a fishing outing.